Its another standard day in the Falcon's hollow. You stumble out of the local tavern, having been up all night the night before trying to teach the finer points of tavern life to Elannic. Finik you know for a fact that Elannic didn't really enjoy himself but you were able to convince him to stay all night. As you walk down the main street the sound of heavy coughing fills the air around you. Several people walk down the street, some coughing up a blackish substance. You pass [i]Roots and Remedies[/b] which is the local herbalists office. As usual there is a rather long line forming at her door. You'd know by now that the reason for this is a lot of the people in Falcon's hollow have been coming down with a strange disease known as blackscour taint. No one is really sure what is causing the sickness but Laurel, the local herbalist, is the only one people trust to heal them. There is a cleric in town by the name of Lady Cirthana and while she seems interested in finding a cure she hasn't been successful yet.

As you're walking down the street the sheriff approaches you.

"Boys I need to speak to you in my office." he says looking sternly at the two of you.

Baladur, Titania, and Xzanphia:

You have been traveling through the lands of Andoran for a while and find your self in Falcon's hollow presently. While your adventuring career is rather young you are each starting to build a small reputation and this has lead the Sheriff to seek you out. You were given a summons to appear today and currently stand in his office. He just left to get the remaining people that were needed for this meeting. You can take this time to introduce yourselves to each other if you wish.

Elannic nods at the Sheriff. "Of course, sir. How may we be of assistance?" The recent blackscour taint outbreak has been worrying Elannic and despite Finik's best efforts to convince him that drinking, carousing and wenching was 'fun', the thought of the disease's effect on the community weighs heavily on his mind. Perhaps being of use might help ease his thoughts?

Hrmmm. Seem some'on in this town is in need o' the healing touches of Torag. Judging by the looks o' you two, it may be vengeance of Ragathiel that's be'n called for. With any luck, it be both. HarrrHarrrHarrrr!
Names Baladur of clan Featherstone.

you see an Ulfen Woman with an impressive stature of 6 foot 6.
She has a athletic and curvy build with pale skin,
Emerald Green Eyes and Golden Copper Red Hair in a braid that starts at the base of the skull and ends near her waist.

She is wearing a chain shirt and some old gleaves over her peasants clothes.
On her back one can see a Halberd, a longsword and a back pack containing her gear.

Xzanphia looks at the assembled group. She leans, her back against the wall, keeping an open line for the door. As the others introduce themselves, she offers her own name, "Xzanphia" with a polite nod to the others. She is dressed in utilitarians style, a strange device shouldered on her back some may know as a musket.

Slowly processing what the sheriff said Fin is a little delayed on his response, "I don't know if you want to talk to us sooo earrlly sssince me buddy Nic here beenz drinking all nightt. Can't thisss wait til the morning." The big Taldane gives his a goofy smile which he thinks is a smooth look.

"Come on Nic, I got a lass warming a bed for me that I need to get too. And I believe she has a friend for ye." The inner Fin hoping his elven friend will come since he forgot where she lived.

Shaking his head slowly, he nods an apology to the Sheriff and mouths 'We'll be right along.' Turning to Finik, "Yes, we have been drinking, Finik, but one does not simply turn down a summons from the Sheriff in order to attend to carnal desires. We have a responsibility to support the law even as the law supports us. Besides, I can see the Sheriff's office from here, and there's quite a striking woman in the window there. Tall, it seems. And as she's female, she's probably your type."

"HHmmmm....." Finik obviously looks the big women up and down and a lecherous grows on his face. "Sh..This job could be fun, watch the master." He starts a smooth strut towards the lucky lady in his sight and somehow keeps a smile on his face as he stumbles and falls straight on it. He quickly jumps back up, "I'M OKAY!I'M OKAY! Nic maybe you should lead this roads a little tricky, hehe." He tries to play off the incident with a fake laugh and scratching the back of his head uncomfortably.

He replies to the sheriff first, "I know I know you get hurt, haha haha. Just kidding captain." He gives the sheriff a good hearted smile and starts to head to the group.

Fin looks towards the dwarf and replies, "I would of Master Dwarf, IF I knew there was an after party in the sheriff's office. But this wet blanket over here probably wouldn't approve haha." He motions his thumb in Elannic's direction. Then he looks towards both of the ladies and winks at them as he says, "But I see potential here. So sheriff why do you call upon the Great Finik and his sidekick Nic." The young lad tries to puff up his chest and flex while he asks for the wome's benefit.

Not a problem. I like the exchange! The comic/straight man dynamic is perfect for the paladin.

Elannic sighs, an act which seems almost reflex around the young human. "I am Elannic of Erastil and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Please excuse my young friend here; he has an excess of joie de vivre and a slight lack of accompanying common sense. Why have we been summoned, Sheriff?" Elannic draws an arrow from his quiver and proceeds to check the feathering while waiting for the sheriff's answer.

Elannic is slight, for an elf, only 6 feet tall, which may make him on the short side in this group. He wears well oiled studded leather armor, green and brown to match the forest, as well as a well-loved long bow and less used rapier. His hair, what you can see beneath an archer's cap, is pale green and his eyes match. He smells of woodsmoke and earth and his holy symbol, Erastil's bow, hangs prominently outside his armor. He stands at military readiness and his face is open and seems to lack any capacity for subterfuge.

Overhearing the dwarf's introduction, Elannic nods to him respectfully. "I am pleased to make the acquaintance of a fellow servant of the gods. I hope I may not require your healing, sir, but I am honored to have your skills. Perhaps some time we may speak of philosophy? I have not had much chance to converse with a dwarf of Torag before."

The sheriff lets everyone introduce themselves before sitting down at his desk. He clears his throat before he starts speaking.

"I have summoned you here because the town of Falcon's hollow is in need of your assistance. As some of you already know we've been dealing with the blackscour taint for the last month and last night it claimed its tenth victim. With so much of our lumbermen infected and dying from this disease we can't afford to pay our taxes this next month but I'll deal with the lumber consortium my self. I need you guys to go out and find a cure. Apparently Laurel has found a possible cure but needs to find some ingrediants for it but can't leave because she's to busy taking care of the sick here." He pauses his speech to reach into the drawer of his desk and pulls out a hankerchief and then starts coughing and ends up spitting up something black into the hankerchief. He takes a swig from a flask he hand on the desk and continues.

"Sorry for that...anyway that's where you come on. Laurel has asked you to meet with her personally and then to go out and gather what ever she asks you to. Any questions?"

"We best head on and hurry to speak to this Miss Laurel then. Wouldn't want anything happening to the Sherrif before he can pay us." Her words are cruel, but the glance she gives the Sherriff is sympathetic.

Elannic laughs and pats Finik on the back. "Cheer up, Finik. I'm sure she's forgiven you for that one time. And if not, perhaps a sincere apology would prompt her to forgive you now. Sincere, Finik. Focus on the sincere part."

Looking at the female elf (Xzanphia), Elannic frowns slightly. "I'm sure that every good deed is rewarded. Falcon's Hollow is not a wealthy town, but I'm sure we shall have the gratitude of the citizenry if we succeed. And even so, I will owe each of you a debt for helping out the townspeople. This is my home and I would see it prosper."

The sheriff grins at Finik and seems to laugh but he keeps it to himself mostly. As Baladur appraches the mayor waves him off.

"Divine magic does nothing for those suffering from the effects. Our own Lady Cirthana couldn't even do anything for us and she's the most powerful cleric I know."

He will then turn to Elannic and smile "She says to tell you hello sir Elannic. She also says to thank you for the other night...what that means I don't want to know...but if its what I think it is you've been spending to much time with Finik.

Elannic sets his lip in a line, but his cheeks color red. Seeing Finik's look, he says in a very abrupt voice. "A gentleman does not gossip." Hearing Titania's request he nods and motions toward the door. "Shall we?" Once outside, Elannic leads the way to Laurel's shop.

The crowd has continued to grow from what you saw this morning and there looks to be about two dozen people standing out side the small shop right now. People in various states stand in line, hacking and coughing.

You can either wait in line(looks like it would take several hours to be seen) or you can try and cut in line.

"Hey Nic since the sheriff sent us to help these souls shouldn't we just cut in front so we can save them sooner?" Fin doesn't wait for a response and begins pushing the elf forward as he says, "Go elf Go, tell them that were helping and they should understand. I'll keep you safe, promise." He gives the elf a wink as he keeps pushing him forward.

Elannic frowns at Finik's impatience, but nods anyway, seeing the wisdom in haste. As he moves forward, he stops every few feet and apologizes to those in line in groups, moving as quickly as he can, saying, "Laurel has requested our presence in order that we might fetch a cure. I apologize for our rudeness, but our haste might save many lives, including your own. I will pledge this: we shall not fail, even if costs my life."

"Make way me and Nic are doing you all a favor. If you have a problem with it take it up with the sheriff he sent us here and told us to make haste." Fin still moving the elf forward before the villagers can get angery.

A few of the less agreeable townsfolk try to protest you're cutting in the line but their attempts are inturrupted by coughing fits. One of the townsfolk lets his displeasure be known by spitting a ball of black phlem on the paladins armor as he walks by.

As you approach the front of the building you see that creeping ivy and full window boxes cover the facade of this rugged-looking, two-story shop bearing the faded sign "Roots and Remedies." Do you make you're way in the building, the door is open.

As Ellanic and Titania enter you notice that the smell of burnt earth and spicy incense chokes the air of the cramped, mud-tracked shop. Bunches of dried herbs hang from the ceiling, along with dangling pots, presses, alchemical apparatuses, and glassware of more arcane purposes. Pouches of rare plants, jars of colored glass, and all manner of dried, preserved, and jellied animal parts fill high shelves and tables doing double duty as displays and workspace. In the shop's rear, a very thin woman stands in front of a table busying herself between an over packed rack of herbs, a table covered in stray powders and a pot. She jumps slightly as Elannic knocks and spins around quickly, her long brown pony tail coming around and hitting her in the face. She drops the pot which shatters on the floor and a puff of smoke comes out from the shards. She lets out a short string of cusses. Once Elannic speaks she looks at him and the rest of the group and waves them in. She starts heading to an over packed bookshelf as she addresses the group.

"Yes yes yes good you've finally arrived. As you can see I've had my hands full with the townsfolk. Well come on in and I'll let you know what you can do f... she pauses as Finik enters the room and her eyes narrow at him.

"Hmm...Deldrin must be desperate if he sent me you..." she says just standing there now with her hands on her hips.